Perhaps the most twistedly peculiar release from Enemies List Home Recordings thus far, "Kurdaitcha" marks my first exposure to the unusual "black metal" sounds of Mamaleek (who previously released two full-lengths in 2008)—a band that is said to be "two anonymous brothers recording in a bedroom somewhere in San Francisco". And I can't help but immediately compare them to Wrnlrd (albeit loosely), simply because both acts perform odd and abstract forms of "black metal" that can barely be accurately classified as such. Mamaleek's take on said vision is somehow more linear (the structures and riffs themselves are on the more tangible side, for example), but also physically harder to listen to at times (for me, at least) due to the grating harshness of some of the recording techniques and textures employed. And they certainly head in an entirely different direction in terms of outside influences, what with a number of glitchy electronic beats and oddball samples/"world music" atmospheres adding unexpectedly relaxed and/or melodic moments throughout. A few tracks come across more like dark ambient pieces, a handful of jazzy snippets pop up here and there, some of the guitar work morphs into a fuzzed out 70's rock kind of vibe... I mean, it's just fuckin' weird! To be totally honest, I fully expected to hate this, just because the bits and pieces that I sampled in advance rubbed me the wrong way and felt awkward and forced, but... I was wrong: The album as a whole represents something entirely different. I'm completely surprised by the quality of the feeling that the music and production values are able to achieve, and it's actually the trance-like characteristics of the calmer and more chilled out elements that move me the most. It's different, it's out there, and they're onto something...
Mamaleek "You Can Bury Me in the East"
The album will soon be available as a limited edition of 150 LP's (it's still a pre-order right now because the first test presses were rejected), but you can already score it as a pay-what-you-want download (or free, if you feel like going that route), so... commence further exploration...
Get It
Enemies List Home Recordings (LP)
Enemies List Home Recordings (mp3)
Comments
This is the second Enemies List release that you’ve compared to Wrnlrd (along with Nahvalr). I can see that, its all weird Black Metal that is not strictly adhering to the genre. I like the electronic beats here. They help to make the recording feel pretty solid. Home recorded Black Metal can be fascinating when the “band” allows themselves to embrace all the freedom of the private bedroom. The vinyl looks like a hell of a nice package too…
4.30.2011 | By Gore Vidal